Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1887-10-27
THEEOLD ACADEMY.

DeuF Ffee IfcsS Inc cHC!O>Su WIZ
probably interest many of your readers.
1t is from the pen of an old gentleman,
Mr.. Thomas Brown, now dead, who has
many relatives still remaining in this
county. He was scholar at the Acad-
emy in this town in 1899 and writes OF
what occurred that year and later. lie
afterwards moved to Florida and became
Governor of that State about 1858.
At the end of the extracts are some
notes and queries. Answers to the latter
and any comments would be interesting.
Yours truly, w. P. CRAIGHTLL.
EXTRACTS.
I was q student at the Academy with
about seventy other scholars. LincolnLear
the son of Colonel Tobias Lear, private
secretary to General Washington, and |
were the smallest and youngest boys in
the school. Some of the pupils were past
their majority. My sister went to the
Female Academy directly opposite across
the street,(a) under the tuition Of Miss
Angelica Collins, assisted by her brother
the Rev. Christopher Collins.
The principal of the Male Academy
was Rev. John Mines, Presbyterian
clergyman, finished scholar, and the
best man for his position ever knew.
This institution was gotten up and patron
lied by the best men in the town and
neighborhood(0, 1t had a board OF
trustees of twelve members. The board
had frequent meetings and regularly at
tended the examinations All the mem
bers had such position and character for
learning, talents and other qualifications
as Justly gave them great weight and
influence with the students and inspired
in them a laudable ambition to learn and
stand we'll in their classes(c).
In the regulations of the two instltu-
tions the members of the Male Academy
were not permitted to cross the street on
the side of the Female Academy, and
the girls were similarly restricted, but, as
Glove laughs at locksmiths," this rule was
not long unbroken(d). The young men
would write billet-doux and bind them
around stones and throw them across the
street where the young ladies would find
tbem The answers were returned the
same way. This mode Of correspondence
was not long practised before the vlgllant
eve of Miss Angelica detected it and a
.. rigid investigation followed. The trus-
tees of the Male Academy did not APP
near to take as serious view OF these
little things as did Miss Angelica, so she
determined to have her school removed
more than stones throw from the boys
and accordingly established it at the
plantation of her brother, Rev. Christie
pher Collins, some four miles out OF
town(e).
The Rev. John Mines, the Principal o.
: the Academy, had the happiest talent
:, for managing boys, acquiring their love
|, and respect and stimulating in them
e Iaudable pride and ambition. All th'
scholars were required TO be present II
the recitation room at the hour of prayer
morning and evening, after which tn
higher classes dispersed to their respective
$ 5 rooms or in the grove(f = as suited then
D best. and only appeared for recitation o
s to ask some question of difficulty. W
Is !, BOYS who remained in had ushers or un
der teachers to attend to them. If Nh
:. Mines saw they were dull or sleepy, h
- would take them all out into the groy
and grounds around the Academy an
ioin with them in some play or athieu
: game for half-hour or more, and the
., have them back to their studies fresh an
:. bright
g. Mr.. Mines preached every Sunday
the Presbyterian Church(gl and the st'
p dents we're fond of going to hear hln
but they were not obliged to DO so an
the youths belonging to Episcopal fam
ce lies went once a month to the old stor
On churchill a mile or so from town to hea
Rev. Mr.. Heath(i). He had his regula
clerk TO assist him in the service, lit
= old man named Johnny Stevens. W
had a pew provided near the pulpit
nd order that we might join in the response
~ At the close of every session at Il